The Heart of a Cowboy. Charlene Sands

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СКАЧАТЬ was the last man she’d ever rely on. He’d proven time and again that he couldn’t be trusted. “I’m perfectly capable of driving to town, Case.”

      He came up as close as he could get without crushing the baby and pinned her with a look. “And what if you get dizzy again? Then what?”

      “I only get dizzy if I move too fast. And I’m being very careful about that.”

      Case blew out a breath and the classic Jarrett pig-headed expression stole over his face. Sarah knew she’d be better off agreeing, since no amount of discussion was going to change his mind and she just wasn’t up for an argument. Having Case move back home had taken a definite toll on her today.

      “Be ready at two, Sarah. I was meaning to get into town soon anyway.”

      “If you insist, but you don’t really have to.”

      He grunted his reply and strolled out of the kitchen.

      Case settled himself on the back porch steps and took a swig of his beer. The golden liquid slid easily down his throat and quenched his thirst. Stretching out his long legs, he leaned on his elbows and glanced up at the stars, but Sarah’s image appeared, out of nowhere it seemed, and interrupted his peace. He’d been thinking about her all day. Couldn’t rightly get her off his mind.

      That night years ago flashed into his head, like a moving picture and plagued his memory. Sarah had looked so beautiful in her flowing pale blue gown, standing there on the threshold, expecting Reid to pick her up for her much-anticipated senior prom. Reid had come down with the flu, but hadn’t wanted Sarah to miss out on the evening. He’d practically begged Case to don his rented suit and replace him for the evening. Case protested—he didn’t want to go to some fancy doings with his brother’s girl, but in the end, for his brother’s sake, he agreed.

      The mistake was in not calling Sarah first, to let her know the situation. Reid argued that she wouldn’t go if she knew how sick he’d been, so Case agreed to tell her once he got to her house. But once he knocked on her door, Sarah gave him no time for explanations. The minute she saw him standing there in his brother’s suit, believing him to be Reid, she flowed into his arms and kissed him soundly on the lips. Case hadn’t expected the intense surge of passion that erupted within him. He hadn’t expected to enjoy Sarah’s lips moving over his or her sweet scent nearly buckling his knees.

      On pure male instinct, he wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue in her mouth. Incredible sensations wiped all rational thought clear from his head. He forgot all about his mission, the fact that Sarah could never be his.

      They kissed deeply, Case pressing her back with small exquisitely sensual steps until he had her braced against the wall. Their bodies touched intimately, the whisper of satin crushed up against his groin. He couldn’t hide his arousal. He couldn’t get enough of her. He needed more, to touch her and continue touching her. He’d never been so taken by a female before. He’d never felt so overwhelmed and completely helpless to the sudden urges consuming him.

      She arched back and he traveled kisses along her delicate throat. Her moans of pleasure caused him to throw all caution to the wind. He couldn’t think beyond absorbing Sarah into his heat. Within seconds, her dress was unzipped and his hands found the contours of her smooth back, his lips the beautiful swell of her breasts. She tasted better than heaven, better than anything he’d ever known. He wanted Sarah more than his next breath.

      Intense desire seared through him like a burst of flames. He’d pressed himself closer and hiked up her pretty dress. The soft silky slide of her nylons gave way to bare flesh. She burned under his fingertips and moaned his name. His name. “Case, stop. You have to stop.”

      Startled, Case did stop, looking Sarah dead in the eyes. How long had she’d known it was him and not Reid, he would often wonder. Why hadn’t she stopped him immediately?

      Case slugged back another gulp of beer and shook his head, remembering. Sarah had been furious and called him every name under the sun. Denial played heavily on his lips, but he didn’t defend himself, he couldn’t. But to keep Reid from getting suspicious, he’d finally convinced Sarah to go to the party. They’d both agreed not to tell Reid what had happened and not to speak of it again. It was the only way Case could calm her down.

      They’d spent an awkward tense night with Sarah hardly able to look at him. She hadn’t let him touch her. They hadn’t danced. Case knew Sarah thought he played a dirty trick on her. He couldn’t blame her—he’d always teased and tormented her in their younger days often times pretending he was Reid. But Case had to let her believe that he was just plain rotten, that he’d used her in a mean-spirited game rather than to let on to the truth. Because the truth was far worse and it had hit Case right smack between the eyes that night. He’d fallen for his brother’s girl. The girl Reid had professed to love since the age of fourteen. The girl Reid was going to marry.

      Case cursed his bad luck and chugged down another swig of beer. The strong smell of liquor was soon replaced by a flowery scent that teased his nostrils as it drifted by.

      “Case?”

      Sarah’s soft voice from behind had him swiveling his head. She stood in the doorway, dressed in a short white cotton robe. His gaze riveted instantly to her legs, exposed from the knees down. They were still shapely, regardless of her pregnancy and he recalled how damn soft they’d felt when he’d slid his hand up her thigh and touched her there. He wanted that again. He wanted to hold her, kiss her and finish what they’d started that night. Damn. His whole body tightened, just looking at her. “Huh?”

      “I forgot to tell you at supper that you had a few messages. Penny Applegate, Josie Miller and Reba Stokely called. They’d heard you were back in town and wanted to say hello.”

      Case nodded and averted his gaze. The last thing he needed was to hook up with any of his old girlfriends. He’d had enough female trouble on the rodeo circuit to last him a lifetime. It’d be hell enough living with Sarah, much less getting involved with any other female right now. “What’d you tell them?”

      “Only that I’d give you the message.”

      He nodded and lifted his eyes to meet hers. “Consider it done. You going to bed now?”

      “Yes. Uh, well, good night, Case.”

      “’Night, Sarah.”

      Case listened as Sarah entered her bedroom and closed the door. Good thing she decided months ago to move into the downstairs bedroom, he thought earnestly. At least, he wouldn’t be bumping into her in the middle of the night.

      He finished his beer and rose slowly, trying to banish Sarah and those torturous memories from his head. He cursed his bad luck once more, thinking of the lonely nights ahead and the promise he’d made to his brother. He’d take care of Sarah and the baby for as long as necessary and she’d never know why he’d really come home. Her stubborn pride wouldn’t have it. Case knew undoubtedly if he’d told her of Reid’s deathbed plea, she’d become indignant and refuse his help.

      Case needed to do this. He had demons to chase and guilt to absolve. He wouldn’t let Reid down again.

      But it wouldn’t be easy. Sarah barely tolerated him. She didn’t want him on the ranch. And she didn’t trust him worth a damn.

      Two

      Case was used to fast speeds and СКАЧАТЬ